May 29, Nigerians all over the world are celebrated the gains of democracy. For obvious reasons, this date will remain indelible in the minds of every Nigerian citizen. This is because, it was on this date in 1999 that Nigerians finally said goodbye to military dictatorship. Prior to this date, the military had usurped governance for twenty-eight years; and for these number of years, they held on to power without the least prospect of handing over the a democratically elected civilian government. Attempts by successive military leaders to handover power to civil rule were always truncated by their mordinate ambition to prolong their stay. Somehow, Nigerians came lose to realizing this dream on June 12, 1993, in one of the freest and fairest election ever conducted in Nigeria in which Alhaji MKO Abiola was elected president. But for the concerted efforts f the Media, pro-democracy groups, human and civil rights organizations there is no doubt that the political crisis that preceded the June 12 election annulment would have left Nigeria in tatters.

And so, with sustained presumes from these civil groups and the constant threats of ostracization by international communities, the military government of General Abdulsalami Abubakar finally yielded to presume and handed over power to a democratically elected government. Expectedly, the joy and excitement shown by Nigerians at the commencement and enthronement of a truly, democratic fourth Republic on May 29, 1999 knew no limits. Akwa Ibom people were not left out in this historic moment. For a state that was greatly wasted by long years of military rule and in dire need of development, the people had to elect a man of vision, a quintessential gentleman and politician as their governor. Before the assumption of Governor Victor Bassey Attah and his people oriented administration, successive government did little or nothing to move the State from its penanent civil service oriented economy. The few infrastructural initiatives that were present especially in the rural areas were present especially in the rural areas were undertaken by the communities.

There were no good roads, electivity and potable water were privileges enjoyed only by those in the city centres. The hospitals and schools were existing on their past glories Virtually all state owned industries were in ailing conditions. Against all odds new state chief executive had to chart a new course, that would transform the economic, industrial and the socio-political status of the State. He had to actualize his dream of moving the State from the land of promise to that of fulfillment. It was for this reason that Obong Attah soon after his election in 1999, made a clarion call on the people of the State. In his inaugural speech titled: Come, let Us Build Together, governor Attah extended an open invitation to all sons and daughters of the State to seize the opportunity of the return to democracy and place the destiny of Akwa Ibom on the path to greatness. His vision and Mission from the start was to “catalyze the socio-economic transformation of the State”.

The governors of urgent attention were, education, human resource, agriculture, commerce and industry, electivity and communication. Others included health came delivery and social welfare, revenue generation and ethical re-orientation, amongst others. True to his vision and mission, governor Attah from all indications has not reneged on his promises to the people of the State. And this is why he has been described by many as a Master planner and a bridge builder. Obong Attah’s first two years in office was epochal as he planned the Akwa Ibom State of his dream. “After my first 100 days in office, many people turned against my administration. They were saying this man is doing nothing. I had to turn out the criticism and keep focusing on the master plan for developing Akwa Ibom into a modern state. Those were some very tough times, but I knew what I was doing was the right thing to do, even if not everyone understood it”.

Although much of Obong Attah’s early months in office was spent on designing and redesigning a comprehensive master plan for the state, he established the Akwa Ibom Investment and Industrial Promotion Council – AKIIPOC. His reason for creating this agency was borne out of the fact that an investment friendly environment was a sine qua non sustainable economic development. Barely had Obong Attah settled down to the business of implementing his master plan than the Federal government dragged the state to the supreme court which handed down an obnoxious ruling on resource control. This was one judgment that threw Akwa Ibom into one of its greatest financial turbulence. But though divine intervention this financial crisis was resolved politically and oil benefits accruing to the State was restored though not in full. In his acceptance speech during his swearing-in as governor a second time in 2003, Obong Attah opined; “we must succeed in our determination to continue to build a solid foundation for a viable superstructure that will drive the process of rapid development of the State and place our people at paw with expectations of the 21st century”.

True to his words, the transformation drive witnessed in the State in the last seven years leaves nobody in doubt that governor Attah is indeed, a man of vision and taste. For instance, the vision of the Attah administration to establish a comprehensive health care system based on primary health care that is preventive, restorative and rehabilitative has almost been fulfilled. The government has renovated, rehabilitated and constructed about 80 health centres, hospital wards, doctors quarters and laboratories in almost all the 31 local government areas of the State. Three new general hospitals have so far been built and put to use in Amamong in Okobo Odoro Ikpe in his, and Ukpom in Abak Local Government Areas respectively at the cost of N2.57 billion, these new general hospitals are all equipped with the state of the arts equipment and can compete with their contemporaries anywhere in the world.

Government has also pursued with vigour, the National Programme on immunization and polio eradication as well as the HIV/AIDS programme with well over N70.16 million so far expended, while the drug revolving scheme introduced by government in hospitals across the State has since put to rest the out-of-stock syndrome. Plans have been finalized for the take off of the University of Technology by the end of this year. This is one institution that is saddled, with the responsibility of producing graduates who would be readily employable as well as capable of generating employment, making good use of the vast natural resources available in the State. In addition, government has gone into partnership with the Niger Delta Development Commission - NDDC to at transforming the Technical College at Ikot Ada Idem into a Major Skill Acquisition and fabrication center.

In the area of economic development and empowerment, the Obong Attah led administration has taken a proactive step aimed at taking the economy of the State to a bright horizon in the nearest future. The State was the first to launch her Economic Empowerment and Development strategy – AK-SEEDS. Perhaps to underscore the commitment of government to economic empowerment, the state recently proposed a N12 billion Multiple Trance bond to the Nigerian Stock Exchange. Indeed, as things are, Akwa Ibom will in no distant future witness a significant revolution in economic, physical and social development. Indeed, Obong Attah has shown an exemplary leadership style in the country as epitomized by the numerous awards, honours and tittles won both within and outside the shone of Nigeria. Thanks to his administration open door policy and the team work approach which the Attah administration has put to full use. By and large, the future looks bright for Akwa Ibom. Governor Attah’s development strides are novel and have undoubtedly positioned the State to reap from the immense investment so far made by the present administration – the airport projects, Ibom Hotel Resort and golf course as well as the Ibom power plant to mention but a few.

Today, I can say with certainty that we have recorded immense gains and have set a course, which cannot be reversed, in the march towards the progress and development of our State. – Governor Victor Attah. In his foreword to the Special Publication titled, “the Akwa Ibom Project: 5 years into fulfillment, the State governor in the afore-stated quote, put the critical assessment of the Akwa Ibom agenda, on a fundamental score. And, contemporary events seem to bear him out in more ways than one especially, in the crucial sector of road development in the State. Therefore, in celebrating the ineversible and “immense gains” of our democratic experience visa vis the road sector, it has become unavoidably necessary to appreciate the governor’s vision on roads. According to the same document, which chronicles the progressive developmental agenda of the state from 1999 to 2005, the governor aptly notes that his administration’s mission is “To construct and maintain urban road networks within the State in order to allow for a free-flow of human traffic, movement of goods and reduction of road accidents.” In breathing life into this corporate philosophy with a view to availing Akwa Ibom people of the real dividends of democracy, the government decided to embark on a highly dynamic, but aggressive road development programme. In retrospect however, it bears emphasizing the fact that before year 2003, most road projects in the State were restricted to rehabilitation and interventionist projects.

But, all that changed by January 2004 as government’s painstaking plans on roads rolled off the drawing boards following a government statement to the effect that the State government had contracted Mothercat, a foreign construction firm, to rehabilitate roads in the State. And, by February of 2004, the road revolution went almost full circle as the state government issued road contracts totaling N14 billion. The job profile took due cognizance of construction, dualization and rehabilitation of several roads in the State. And, the first phase of the jobs was targeted at the Nnung Udoe-Ikot Okwot-Odot-Ekpene Ukim road and the dualization of Abak and Oron Roads. Others include the dualisation of Nwaniba, rehabilitation of Uyo-Etinan; the construction of Etinan round-about; Etinan-Ekpene Ukpa Road as well as the rehabilitation of some township roads in Uyo, the State Capital. The State commissioner for Works and Transport, Dr Udoma Ekarika who flagged-off the construction season with a Press Conference in Uyo noted that the contractors were carefully chosen by the government with due diligence in mind as well as the ultimate intention of ensuring democracy dividends to the people of the State in this vital sector. Again, by May 2004, the State government further signed a N5 billion contract with a consortium of local contractors for construction of roads in Uyo and Abak. In view of the turning-point that this local initiative signaled, even in the face of palpable pessimism, Dr Ekarika had noted at that occasion that this innovation was informed by the administration’s local content policy as well as the desire to encourage and develop indigenous technology in this sector.